sillywoman

BB100 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > At Harris schools you get progress reports every > mid-term and the child has personal targets to > reach each term and for the end of the year so > it's really easy to see where your child is doing > well or not. This is really useful as I've been > able to raise issues quickly rather than waiting > until the end of the year. Harris schools are very > target driven but at least you and your child know > where you are and where your going. Oh yes, The Charter has this same system - it is very useful for keeping abreast of their academic performance, but also how hard the teacher feels they're trying in class. It seems to be a very child centred approach too with all targets completely based on the individuals abilities. I really like it (can you tell?). centred

When is the denouement - How many episodes are there?

Can I roll my eyes a lot (from behind my fingers)? And would we only be allowed to drink Danish beer?

susyp Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I have a total hatred of the NCT and all groups > that push breast feeding and give us all such > guilt over it. Fine if it works. But I totally > don't think anyone should breast feed more than a > few months as you can't check your breasts (and > pregnancy increases your risk of breast cancer > (initially) - don;t tell you that in the NCT do > they. > > ..... > > I really ,really hate the NCT. I also had a c > section and felt terrible about it because of all > their crap about natural birth. Oh, and the > hospital wanted to induce me after 6 days late as > I was feeling slightly less movements and I was > resistnat (as my nct teacher had told me to be) - > some brilliant friends told me to do what the > doctor said - turned out my daughter was in > distress in the womb. Had I done what the NCT had > suggested - she would probably not be here now. > Cretins. > arg > > sorry keep editing to add more ranting. > > Susypx Gulp! Have PM'd you susyp

If you do decide to try a little longer, then it might be worth investing a little money in a Lactation Consultant (if you haven't already). They are people whose area of expertise is breastfeeding. Really, they have seen it all. For a fee they will come to your house, sit with you for as long as it takes, discuss your experience so far, and see if there is anything that can be done to change the current cycle of expressing, pain and exhaustion and improve your experience while still maintaining some breastfeeding if possible. If you do a search on this forum some past recommendations for Lactation Consultants will come up, or someone might come along soon who can give a more current personal recommendation.

Just caught up with this weeks episodes. Oooooh, "get out, get out Lund!!" It's like watching Dr who - I wanted to be behind the sofa watching through my fingers. And she's wearing her 'sad' jumper (dark colours).

What a lovely Mum you are to your little girl to be trying so hard for her. The first (and often the toughest) lesson of being a new Mum or Dad is that you are not superman/woman. you're just you & you will do/ are doing the best you can with the resources available in the circumstances that you find yourself in. The term 'good enough parent' is one that helps me through some dark moments. Sometimes I'm a brilliant Mum, sometimes I'm a completely crap Mum, mostly I am 'good enough' and that will have to do. The second thing about being a new Mum is a rather sad lesson in life, and it's this: almost everyone has an opinion about what you do. If you breastfeed there will be people tutting about it, if you bottlefeed there will be people tutting about it. If your baby is in bed, or in it's own room there will always be someone who feels the need to tell you how wrong you're doing it. In the end you do what is best for you, your baby and your little family and hold your head high. No-one knows what your exact circumstances are, so no-one has the right to judge you. Those first few months are one of the toughest times in a new Mum or Dads life - new babies need to be held and cuddled a lot in the first 6 weeks. Someone used an analogy to me the other day to explain why small babies want to be held all the time; they said if you carried your baby for 12 hours a day you'd still only be holding them for 50% of the time that they are used to being held and carried. That really struck a cord with me. Do what you need to do to get yourselves through it in one piece. She'll grow and in a month or so will need carrying less and in a while you'll look back and miss the closeness of it. It will get calmer soon it really will. Oh, and congratulations too.

edited cos I meant to PM it - oops!

westof Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > If we're comparing, it's interesting that > Kingsdale improved without changing it's name, > like most of the schools in Southwark which became > academies or rebuilt... > > I think Charter is excellent btw, and it does have > a genuinely mixed intake. The Charter didn't change its name either westof. It was never William Penn or anything else. The school that is there today has only ever been The Charter. The buildings though were once used by the old William Penn school. Debi - no competition or denigration intended, just a bit of balance.

intexasatthe moment Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > But it does seem to me to be a very complex > situation where so many schools can all have such > different admissions policies. I really don't know > the answer - good schools for all doesn't seem to > happen . Except with The Charter whose academic results are still way above Kingsdale and manages to achieve this on a purely community catchment criteria - no jiggery-pokery needed. Just flying the flag - I know we're not the 'buzz' school this year.

reren, we've just been through something similar with our 7yr old. I found that much to my (and his) frustration that the eczema initially got worse when we applied the prescribed ointment but after about a week-10days of diligent application it started to improve and now 2 weeks later is much better. If it's not upsetting him it might be worth persevering?

Maybe the packing boxes are full of her other jumpers, so now she has them back she'll be able to change into a fresh one every day. I wait with bated breath to see. (Also, whoooooooo did it?)

The GP practice you're with will affect which Midwifery team you are referred to hence what type of antenatal & labour care you are offered. Of course you can have an epidural with a home birth, you just have to go to the hospital to get it - same as with a hospital birth. It's just that with a homebirth you'll likely be going with a midwife already with you rather than on your own.

Personally, I think he's too young. Only do nursery at this young age if you don't have any other choice. Childminder would be better. Am sure others will be along shortly to offer a different perspective though.

clux Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Did anyone get a school they wanted? Yeah, 1st choice - but we were sensible and stuck to our nearest community school. It suits us so far & we're working on the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' theory.

newmommytobe Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > That's also been the confusing factor...the > difference in healthcare provisions in the UK and > back home so hopefully, the books will sort me > out. > > Hmmm, I wouldn't hold out too much hope of that TBH. Maternity care tends to be quite fragmented and localised. It can differ wildly from one small geographic area to another e.g. The care offered at Kings Midwives House compared to the care offered by The Lanes on Crystal Palace Rd. For this reason most (all?) 'what to expect' books - even the NHS's own ones (Emma's diary) only tend to touch on the kind of care to expect in the most vague & general of terms. Standardised scan dates etc,etc. You'd do much better to do your own research based around what to expect from your of hospital and how to get the best services available locally to you.

COngratulation & how sensible to start here. Am sure you'll get some very wise advice from more posters shortly. The only thing I would say is don't take advice from any of your American friends and relations (am guessing here, but the clue is in your name ;)). The system for labour and birth here is completely different from the US. Here Midwives have a much higher standing, they are trained to be the specialists in straightforward pregnancy, labour & birth. If your pregnancy, labour and birth is straightforward you may (and probably will) go right through without ever seeing an Obstetrician. This is a good thing, not to be worried about. In the UK - unlike in the US where all care is Obs based - Obstetricians usually only get involved in a pregnancy or birth when there is an issue, either pre-existing or pregnancy/labour induced. Other than that I would say register with a good midwifery team if you can. If you can't, get onto their waiting lists. The best ones locally are; The Lanes at Crystal Palace Rd GP practice; Oakwood at Forest Hill Road GP Practice and The Brierly at East Dulwich Hospital. Good luck with everything. SW Both the Books mentioned above are excellent starting points for those soon to become a Mum.

Has anyone ever been given a baby weight estimate by Kings/Tommies/wherever that was completely accurate, or even quite close? I only ask because I've never yet met anyone who has, but I feel like they must surely exist or else why would the hospitals keep giving out such inaccurate, and often worrying (is my baby too small/big?) information? Are you out there?

Lovely little baby & bump group has just started at the Nuns head. 11am Mondays. Free tea & coffee if you buy a cake!

Yeah, Clary sage is to be avoided in pregnancy because it can bring on strong contractions/labour. It's best applied by a professionally qualified pregnancy massage therapist.

I think that it can work but as WOD's Mum says it can bring on hard & strong contractions, & this in turn can distress the baby so I think that it's for this reason that current advice is to avoid, avoid, avoid if you can. Sex & curry?

Ebay cam up trumps - they do 'big boy' ones too Keef.

I'm afraid I have to agree with duchess' re St Barnabas & I've been attending there on & off for 15 years :(. It is very cliquey, & I have raised on more than one occasion how unwelcoming they are to new people & families in particular. However I don't attend with anything approaching enough regularity for my voice to have any power for change. Sadly I'd have to advise you to look elsewhere for a warm welcome. I've heard All Saints in Peckham is lovely for families. Good luck.

I have found that an email direct to the appropriate teacher, making sure to cc in the tutor, year head & key stage head to be the most effective way of getting a response. Also giving a polite time frame for expected response e.g.:I hope to hear back from you by Wednesday before I take this any further".

Someone sent me this link via facebook. I hope it works cause it might be very helpful for you; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6KnVPUdEgQ Love SW